“I’ll talk to Beatrix.” I head out while they start sorting mail into slots so it can be organized into bins for efficient delivery.
Austin grabs a bin of mail and slams it into my chest. “You’re heading down to data entry. Might as well get this shit delivered.”
I was hoping to make a straight shot for her desk, but he’s right.
Her cubicle is empty, so I step across the aisle and tap the guy on the shoulder. He turns, his eyes glazed over. I motion across the aisle. “Do you know where Beatrix is?”
“Why would I know?” He turns back to his computer. If he knew I was an executive for Opus Syndicate rather than a mail room guy, he wouldn’t have done that. I’m forced to let it go. If anything, the CEO would be happy to hear his employee didn’t waste time.
I step back across the aisle and reach for the pen cup on Beatrix’s desk. The bright sticky notes and glitter pens remind me of the naughty notes I caught Lexi putting on her friend’sKanban planning board, and the note I wrote to myself without letting Lexi see.
How could I be so certain I’m going to marry a woman from the second I laid eyes on her? It blows my mind that a chance encounter allowed us to meet. But just as quickly as Lexi came into our lives and we gave her a few orgasms, she exited, leaving uncertainty.
I select a blue pen and grab a yellow sticky note, then write a message telling Beatrix to text me as soon as she’s back at her desk.
I deliver the mail, and the second her text comes in, I rush through the sea of cubicles and make my way to hers. Not wanting to waste anyone’s precious time I say, “We didn’t get Lexi’s phone number yesterday. Could you jot it down or send me her contact info?”
Beatrix squints. “If she wanted you to have it, wouldn’t she have given it to you?” She has her friend’s back, that’s good, but really fucking irritating.
“You helped us hook up yesterday.”
“I did.” Her brevity scares the fuck out of me. Did Lexi not like…I can’t accept the possibility. Her moans, her knees going weak, her bliss…she liked it.
“You’re not going to give me her number?”
“No, sir. She’ll reach out if she wants to get in touch.” The smirk that Beatrix finally lets through tells me she knows Lexi will reach out, but damn. As I stand there trying to think of a way to convince her, she points for me to leave.
One point for the BFF with blue streaks in her hair. As much as I hate it, I’m glad she stood up to me.
Back in the mail room, I drag my hand over the counter where Lexi’s ass had been. I say to my brothers, “We have another option. Her roller derby practice schedule and location are online.”
“You don’t think that would be stalkerish?” Bear asks.
A click from the door draws our attention. None of us have a single piece of mail in our hands as we talk to each other. Shit. It’s Monica, the Human Resources rep assigned to this department.
“You gab worse than the high school gossip girls. If you don’t get your work done, I’ll write you up.”
I grab a stack of envelopes.
“Don’t test me. The new employee is going through the online trainings. She’ll have her first day in the mail room tomorrow. Set a good example.”
“We’ll behave.”
Monica points a finger. “I’m serious. She’s young. A lot of potential. Do not run her off. And don’t forget about the sexual harassment videos.”
Bear scoffs, raising his hands. “Who do you think we are?”
“Interesting question given that men of your age who wear name brand suits, don’t normally work in mail rooms. It didn’t escape my attention that I was told to hire all three of you in one fell swoop.”
I play off her accurate assessment. “Word has it CEO Smith fired the entire mail room, and you needed bodies pronto. We just wanted to be a part of Opus Syndicate. Lucky us.”
She peers over her glasses. “Don’t let your boys’ club be a problem. You’re not above the rules.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Bear nods as she turns to leave. “We don’t want any trouble. We’ll play nice with the new hire.”
Monica pauses in the doorway. “I don’t want youplayingwith her.”
Three